1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electricity generating systems and particularly to a portable self-powered gravity driven wheel generating system in which water, particulates, or other fluid matter are pumped by a wheel driven plunger rod assembly through a pipe for delivery to the top of the rotatable wheel to turn the wheel to activate an electricity generator.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Fossil fuels are presently being used in tremendous quantities throughout the world. The supply of such fuels, particularly oil and natural gas, may be depleted within the twenty first century, while the cost of these fuels has risen several drastically in the last ten years. Coal is more plentiful, and presently less expensive than our oil or natural gas, but problems exist with pollutants from the burning thereof. Power from nuclear fission is relatively expensive because of the initial outlays for power plant construction; and difficulties arise in handling the waste products from this source of power. The generation of power from solar energy has recently stirred a great deal of interest, but presently, solar power producing units are extremely expensive to install relative to the amount of useful power obtained; and solar power is less useful in northern climates. Major sources of hydro-electric power have already been tapped in the United States, with only minor sources left for exploitation.
Current-driven, power-generating waterwheels which are permanently built in or floated upon a moving body of water are well known in the art. Prior art does not provide a waterwheel driven system for generating electricity which can be placed in any desired location.
U.S. Patent Application #20030127860, published Jul. 10, 2003 by Baron, is for a recirculating hydroelectric power generation system. The system includes a reservoir and at least one confinement column connected, and open to the reservoir at the base of the at least one confinement column. A source of pressurized air is provided and means for delivering the air to an air diffuser located near the base of the at least one confinement column. A guide chute is located at the top of the at least one confinement column in such a way that water exiting the top of the at least one confinement column is directed to a waterwheel or turbine, said waterwheel or turbine being operably connected to an electric generator unit.
U.S. Patent Application #20010024038, published Sep. 27, 2001 by Cavalheiro, provides a pendulum pumping device, which has an upright support with a fulcrum at its top. A pendulum beam is pivotally mounted to the fulcrum for pivoting about a horizontal axis. The beam has first and opposite second ends. A U-shaped pipe for containing a liquid such as water, has first and second upturned ends. An overflow pipe and tank and a return pipe and return section receive and hold liquid from the U-shaped pipe. A piston slides in the first end of the U-shaped pipe. The piston is connected to the first end of the pendulum beam for moving up and down with pivoting of the beam. A weight helps force the piston down to push liquid up into the overflow pipe and to the return section. A pair of pivoting, initially spread and weighted wings at the second end of the beam, pivot out to a parallel extended position by the action of a small motor, to increase their effective weight and to thus push down on the second end of the beam for pulling the piston up. Valves allow liquid to return to the U-shaped pipe from the return section. The wings then spread out to reduce their effective weight on the second end of the beam and the cycle repeats. A turbine or water-wheel can be provided in the overflow tank and rotate when it is supplied with liquid from the overflow pipe. This rotation can be for amusement or the turbine can be connected to a small generator to generate some electricity, again for amusement.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,698, issued Oct. 5, 1976 to Brewer, describes a waterwheel driven electrical generator system. The waterwheel apparatus as a plurality of pivoted buckets mounted in circumferentially spaced relation around a central hub and having an outer rim provided with a ring gear driving a pinion gear on the generator shaft for obtaining a high rotational speed in a generator from a relatively slow turning waterwheel. The waterwheel buckets each fold outwardly to hold a maximum quantity of water as the bucket reaches approximately the horizontal center line of the wheel on the downwardly moving side of the wheel while each bucket empties at the vertical center line of the wheel as the bucket passes the bottom side and thereafter folds inwardly as the bucket moves upwardly and over the top of the wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,902, issued Apr. 7, 1981 to Crider, shows a fluid driven rotary engine of the water wheel type comprising a spoked water wheel rotatably mounted on a hollow stationary axle and having a set of water collection containers supported on the outer ends of hollow hub-mounted wheel spokes. Water or other liquid is delivered under pressure or an available head to the interior of the axle and from there through the hollow spokes and nozzles at the ends of the spokes into the containers to impart rotation to the water wheel. The water wheel unit may be equipped with an alternator or generator which is drive connected to hub by suitable means such as a belt and pulley assembly or transmission gearing. The alternator is thereby driven by rotation of the water wheel to generate electricity.
Two U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,859 issued Oct. 12, 1993 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,224 issued Sep. 7, 1993 both to Tagney, Jr., provide a jogging electric current generator which comprises a drum-shaped rotatable exercising unit operatively connected to an electric current generator. The drum-shaped unit is constructed so that a jogger can enter the unit and jog for purposes of exercising and also simultaneously therewith generate an electric current through operation of the generator. The drum-shaped unit may also be constructed so as to operate as a water vane with water being moved during the jogging activity. A pumping mechanism is provided for pumping water to a trough located above the drum-shaped housing. The water spills into the slots between each of the vanes. The water is allowed to flow out of the slots through elongate openings on the sides of each of the slots. Thereafter, the water is collected into a sump and recycled to perform a continuous operation. The jogging generator is also constructed so that a plug in connector can be operatively connected to the generator. Further, the electric power generated by using this jogging generator can be used for charging storage batteries or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,125, issued Jun. 12, 2001 to Axtell, claims a portable generating system for converting either water or wind energy into electricity comprises a paddle wheel assembly having a housing and a plurality of impellers rotatably mounted therein. The housing defines inlet and outlet openings for receiving a fluid stream, whether water or air, therebetween so as to rotate the impellers. The impellers are axially connected to a generator for producing electricity upon impeller rotation as the fluid stream flows between the housing openings. The generator may be mounted within the paddle wheel housing adjacent the impellers or at a distance therefrom and coupled thereto with a shaft. A plurality of mounting brackets are fixedly attached to the outer surface of the housing. The generating system further includes a plurality of height-adjustable support legs that may be coupled to the mounting brackets so that the paddle wheel housing may be positioned at a predetermined height above a support surface. The support surface may be a dry ground area such that electricity is generated as a result of an air stream or may be a body of water such that electricity is generated as a result of a water stream. The system may easily be assembled and disassembled and moved between desired locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,307, issued Oct. 19, 1976 to Giconi, is for a system for generating electrical energy by dropping particulate material down a shaft and directing the falling particulate matter into buckets around the periphery of a large wheel, similar to a “water wheel”. The wheel turns as a result of the transference of kinetic energy from the falling particulate matter to the wheel and the unbalanced weight of particulate matter on the wheel. The hub of the wheel is coupled to an electrical generator.
What is needed is a portable system for generating electricity using a gravity fluid driven generator wheel and pumped fluids to drive the wheel.